U.S. patent application number 10/784253 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-07 for method of controlling a heating and air conditioning system in a motor vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Augst, Alexander, Borke, Danny, Durach, Stephan.
Application Number | 20040194945 10/784253 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32863930 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040194945 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Durach, Stephan ; et
al. |
October 7, 2004 |
Method of controlling a heating and air conditioning system in a
motor vehicle
Abstract
A method for controlling a heating and air conditioning system
equipped with actuators, preferably vents, whereby interior
conditions are detected by an interior sensing system, at least the
seat occupancy with occupants is automatically recognized by an
object recognition system on the basis of the data supplied by the
interior sensing system, and an optimized adjustment of the heating
and air conditioning system to the seat occupancy is automatically
performed as a function of the seat occupancy.
Inventors: |
Durach, Stephan; (Muenchen,
DE) ; Borke, Danny; (Muenchen, DE) ; Augst,
Alexander; (Muenchen, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Assignee: |
Bayerische Motoren Werke
Aktiengesellschaft
|
Family ID: |
32863930 |
Appl. No.: |
10/784253 |
Filed: |
February 24, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/202 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/00742 20130101;
B60H 1/00821 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/202 |
International
Class: |
B60H 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 27, 2003 |
DE |
10308413.4 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of controlling a vehicle interior heating and air
conditioning system equipped with actuators, comprising the acts
of: detecting interior conditions with an interior sensing system;
detecting automatically seat occupancy with an object recognition
system on the basis of the data received from the interior sensing
system; and adjusting automatically the heating and air
conditioning system actuators as a function of seat occupancy to
maintain desired interior conditions at at least one of a plurality
of seats within the vehicle interior.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the adjusting step, the
actuators of the heating and air conditioning system are operated
so that one of a fan intensity and an air distribution in the
direction of one of the plurality of seats is adjusted if said seat
is unoccupied by a passenger.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the adjusting step, the
actuators of the heating and air conditioning system are operated
so that a temperature in the area of an unoccupied one of the
plurality of seats is adjusted to approach temperature settings for
occupied portions of the vehicle.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein in the adjusting step, the
actuators of the heating and air conditioning system are operated
so that a temperature in the area of an unoccupied one of the
plurality of seats is adjusted to approach temperature settings for
occupied portions of the vehicle.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein in the adjusting step, the
actuators of the heating and air conditioning system are operated
in the case of cooling in an area of a seat so that a temperature
is increased in the area of an unoccupied one of the plurality of
seats to reduce heating and air conditioning system energy
usage.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein in the adjusting step, the
actuators of the heating and air conditioning system are operated
in the case of cooling in an area of a seat so that a temperature
is increased in the area of an unoccupied one of the plurality of
seats to reduce heating and air conditioning system energy
usage.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of detecting seat
occupancy, a head position is calculated by the object recognition
system for at least one occupant, and in the adjusting step, an
optimized setting of the heating and air conditioning system for
each detected occupant is automatically performed by actuators as a
function of seat occupancy and head position.
8. The method of claim 2, wherein in the step of detecting seat
occupancy, a head position is calculated by the object recognition
system for at least one occupant, and in the adjusting step, an
optimized setting of the heating and air conditioning system for
each detected occupant is automatically performed by actuators as a
function of seat occupancy and head position.
9. The method of claim 3, wherein in the step of detecting seat
occupancy, a head position is calculated by the object recognition
system for at least one occupant, and in the adjusting step, an
optimized setting of the heating and air conditioning system for
each detected occupant is automatically performed by actuators as a
function of seat occupancy and head position.
10. The method of claim 4, wherein in the step of detecting seat
occupancy, a head position is calculated by the object recognition
system for at least one occupant, and in the adjusting step, an
optimized setting of the heating and air conditioning system for
each detected occupant is automatically performed by actuators as a
function of seat occupancy and head position.
11. The method of claim 5, wherein in the step of detecting seat
occupancy, a head position is calculated by the object recognition
system for at least one occupant, and in the adjusting step, an
optimized setting of the heating and air conditioning system for
each detected occupant is automatically performed by actuators as a
function of seat occupancy and head position.
12. The method of claim 6, wherein in the step of detecting seat
occupancy, a head position is calculated by the object recognition
system for at least one occupant, and in the adjusting step, an
optimized setting of the heating and air conditioning system for
each detected occupant is automatically performed by actuators as a
function of seat occupancy and head position.
Description
[0001] This application claims the priority of German application
DE 103 08 413.4-16, filed Feb. 27, 2003, the disclosure of which is
expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a method of controlling a heating
and air conditioning system in a motor vehicle.
[0003] There are known methods and systems in which it is possible
to make a personalized adjustment of the temperature and fan
settings.
[0004] For example, BMW vehicles have a function which is known as
key memory which makes it possible to make various personalized
individual settings. For example, settings for the fan and
temperature can be stored on a vehicle key. When the ignition is
turned on, the presettings are transferred from the key to the
vehicle.
[0005] In addition, there are known heating and air conditioning
systems in which manual adjustments of the fan setting, air
distribution and air temperature can be performed individually for
each occupant of the vehicle according to his or her needs by means
of actuators. The air distribution is controlled, for example, by
varying the vent outlets for the foot space and/or head space, and
the air temperature setting can be performed by motor actuators or
mixing valves. Such controls and settings are known, for example,
from the book "VDI-Berichte 515, Elektronik im Kraftfahrzeug"
[Reports of the German Society of Engineers 515, Electronics in the
Motor Vehicle] by the VDI Publishing Company.
[0006] The object of this invention is to improve upon the known
methods of controlling a heating and air conditioning system.
[0007] This object is achieved according to this invention by
controlling a heating and air conditioning system with actuators,
preferably vents, whereby interior conditions are detected by an
interior sensing system, in which at least the occupancy of seats
with passengers is automatically detected by an object detection
system on the basis of the data supplied by the interior sensing
system and an optimized adjustment of the heating and air
conditioning system to the seat occupancy is performed
automatically for all occupants of the vehicle by a control unit as
a function of seat occupancy.
[0008] The new statutory regulation with regard to airbag systems
in the United States (FMVSS208 of NHTSA) creates the need for an
interior sensing system for determination of seat occupancy and the
position of the passenger's head. For several premium class
automobiles, an interior camera system, usually a 3D camera system,
is provided for this purpose. It is advantageous to also use this
pre-existing camera system to control an audio system. This
eliminates any additional cost for the camera system for the
manufacturer of the automobile.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] With the inventive method, the vehicle occupants need not
themselves attempt an optimum setting of the fan and the air
temperature, for example, as well as economical operation of the
heating and air conditioning system. If there is a change in the
seat occupancy in the vehicle which is recognized by the interior
camera system and the object recognition system, the settings of
the heating and air conditioning system are adjusted by the control
unit, e.g., from the standpoint of improved comfort and economical
operation of the heating and air conditioning system. The
actuators, such as vents, are opened further, for example, to
increase the flow in the vehicle. A change in the air distribution
can also be performed by changing the vent outlet. A change in air
temperature may be accomplished in a known way, e.g., by motor
actuators or mixing valves.
[0010] The interior sensing and object recognition system and
control unit may be installed separately in a joint control device
or together with other systems.
[0011] An advantageous refinement is provided by the inventive
method if the actuators of the heating and air conditioning system
are triggered so that the fan strength and/or air distribution
is/are altered in the direction of a seat if that seat is no longer
occupied by a passenger. If a passenger would like full fan
intensity, for example, he or she will adjust the vents for the
foot space and/or head space, for example, so that the fan blows
strongly there. If that passenger later leaves the vehicle, the
actuators for the fan will automatically change position so that
the discharge of fan air in the direction of the previously
occupied seat in the interior of the vehicle is reduced or cut off
entirely.
[0012] Therefore, nearby passengers who do not desire such fan
intensity are no longer unnecessarily disturbed by the noise of the
fan, and the cooling power may even be distributed more
efficiently.
[0013] It is also advantageous if, according to this invention, the
actuators for the heating and air conditioning system are triggered
in the case of heating in the area of a seat, so that the
temperature in the area of a seat which is not occupied by a
passenger is adapted to the other temperature settings in the
vehicle. The adjustment of the temperature by the vehicle interior
climate control system as well as by the seat climate control
system likewise improve comfort in the vehicle.
[0014] It is also advantageous if, as an alternative, the actuators
of the heating and air conditioning system in the case of cooling
are triggered in the area of a seat so that the temperature in the
area of a seat not occupied by a passenger is increased. Therefore,
energy losses from the heating and air conditioning system can be
prevented.
[0015] It is especially advantageous if, by means of the object
recognition system, the position of the head of each passenger is
calculated and an optimized setting of the heating and air
conditioning system is performed by means of the control unit as a
function of the seat occupancy and head position for each occupant
automatically by means of actuators.
[0016] Different settings are possible for the fan, such as air
stream toward the face, air stream around the face, air stream away
from the face, etc. These settings are implemented by the actuators
provided for this purpose. The instantaneous head position is
calculated by means of an interior camera system and object
recognition system. If the occupant changes his head position, the
fan is adjusted to the new head position by means of the actuators
via the control unit so that the passenger retains his or her
desired fan setting.
[0017] It is also possible by means of the interior camera and
object recognition system to identify the various occupants,
preferably the driver of the vehicle, in a known way and/or
differentiate them from others, so that a prestored heating and air
conditioning fan setting is automatically retrieved as a function
of the person thereby identified. Then the fine setting is made as
a function of the head position and the varying seat occupancy
according to the inventive refinement.
[0018] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to
illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since
modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit
and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the
art, the invention should be construed to include everything within
the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *